The Israeli War Council agreed to send a negotiating delegation to Paris despite disagreements among its members regarding the details (Al Jazeera)

Yesterday evening, Thursday, the Israeli War Council agreed to send a delegation to Paris to resume negotiations on an exchange deal for prisoners and detainees, according to what was reported by official Israeli media.

Israeli Army Radio reported that the War Council approved sending a delegation to Paris to resume negotiations, while the Israeli Walla website reported that the Council agreed to expand the mandate granted to the negotiating delegation to Paris to include “negotiating and not just listening,” as was the case previously in the Cairo negotiations.

The official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that the negotiating delegation will be headed by David Barnea, head of the Israeli Intelligence and Special Operations Authority (Mossad).

The decision comes at a time when Israeli media quoted informed sources as saying that there are “positive indicators indicating that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has softened its positions.”

Israeli Channel 12 also quoted sources in the “State Camp” party - headed by War Council member Benny Gantz - as saying that the party is concerned not to waste any opportunity to complete a prisoner exchange deal.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid had previously promised to give the Israeli government what he called a "safety net" if it needed it in order to conclude the exchange deal.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during his meeting with Brett McGurk, the US President's Middle East advisor who is currently visiting Israel, that Tel Aviv will continue military pressure on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

McGurk is visiting Israel as part of his tour of several capitals in the region, with the aim of advancing negotiations on completing an exchange deal for prisoners and detainees between Hamas and Israel.

McGurk, advisor to the US President for Middle East affairs (Reuters - archive)

It's going well

In a related context, the White House spokesman confirmed - Thursday - that the talks being held by US President Joe Biden’s envoy regarding the release of detainees and what he described as a cessation of hostilities in Gaza are “going well.”

John Kirby said, "Our initial indications from Brett (McGurk) indicate that the discussions are going well," explaining that the envoy visited Cairo - the day before yesterday, Wednesday - and was in Israel on Thursday to hold meetings with the government, as well as with the families of American detainees.

He pointed out that the talks relate to “a long pause (in the fighting) in order to release all detainees” and “bring more humanitarian aid” into the Gaza Strip.

Paris meeting attended by CIA Director William Burns and Qatari and Egyptian officials (French)

American pressure

In a related context, the Axios news website quoted informed sources as saying that US envoy Brett McGurk informed the Israelis of the necessity of reaching an agreement with the Hamas movement and sending a delegation to the Paris talks.

McGurk - who is currently visiting Tel Aviv - told the Israeli side that President Joe Biden's administration sees an urgent need to reach a prisoner exchange deal due to the conditions of Israeli detainees and the approaching month of Ramadan, according to what was reported by Axios.

According to the same sources, the American official urged Israel to send a delegation to the Paris talks scheduled to be held tomorrow, Friday, with the participation of CIA Director William Burns and Qatari and Egyptian officials.

McGurk conveyed a message to the Israelis stating that there is progress in negotiations between Hamas and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and that the movement is “ready to show flexibility,” according to the Axios report.

But the newspaper "Israel Today" quoted Israeli officials as saying that Israel had not received any message or information indicating that Hamas had made concessions or shown flexibility in the negotiations.

According to the newspaper, the United States exerted very intense pressure on Israel to be more flexible and participate in the Paris meeting.

Efforts are intensifying to conclude a new exchange deal for prisoners and detainees between Hamas and Israel (Al Jazeera - Archive)

Intense movement

This is the second tour of its kind in Paris with the participation of the head of the CIA, to reach understandings regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners.

The previous talks were held in the French capital late last month and resulted in setting a framework for a possible agreement, followed by a meeting in Cairo on February 13.

The Cairo discussions ended with the departure of the Israeli delegation - led by Mossad chief David Barnea - without achieving progress, amid disagreements between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and security officials regarding negotiating powers and details of the potential deal.

While Israel and the United States want an interim agreement that includes a temporary truce during which Israeli detainees will be released, Hamas stresses that any agreement must lead to a final ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners.

On December 1, a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel ended, concluded with Qatari mediation and Egyptian-American support, and lasted for 7 days, during which prisoners were exchanged and limited humanitarian aid was brought into the Strip, which is inhabited by about 2.2 million Palestinians.

Over the past weeks, Doha has intensified its contacts and efforts to seek a new truce and another deal to exchange prisoners and detainees.

Since the seventh of last October, the Israeli occupation army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, which led to the death of more than 29,000 people and the injury of more than 68,000, in addition to the destruction of various cities and the displacement and starvation of residents.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies